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Poseidon
Poseidon (Ποσειδων) was the Greek deity of the oceans, sailors, shipwrecks, earthquakes, and all water sources, weather, the surface of the earth, horses ,storms and clear skies. He held sway over the seas and waters, and is particularly known for causing tempests. Poseidon is also the patron of seafaring. One of his cult titles, Enosichthon, means "earth shaker", referring to his role in causing earthquakes. His symbols are the trident, with which he raises the waves and causes tides, and the bull, which is as aggressive as him. He is also called the "tamer of horses", as he created the first horse from the crests of the waves. His Roman counterpart is Neptune. Poseidon was the child of Kronos and Rhea, and brother to Zeus and Hades. According to some folklore, he was saved by his mother Rhea, who concealed him among a flock of lambs and pretended to have given birth to a colt, which was devoured by Kronos. Myths Immediately after Poseidon was born he was eaten whole by his father, Cronus. When Zeus was born he tricked Cronus into vomitting up his siblings and Poseidon and his other four trapped siblings were freed from their father's stomach. They started a war called the Titanomachy which lasted ten years. After the battle the three siblings; Zeus, Poseidon and Hades, drew lots to see who would rule each of Cronus' three kingdom's. The Sky, the seas, and the Underworld. Hades got the Underworld, Zeus got the sky and Ruler of Olympus, and Poseidon got the seas. Patron God of Athens: There once came a time in Ancient Greece when the first king of Athens, Cecrops, who was half person and half snake, had to find a patron deity for the city state of Athens. The two Olympian gods who were particularly interested in the patronage were Poseidon, the god of the Seas and Athena, the goddess of Wisdom and Skill. They presented themselves in front of Cecrops and Cecrops asked from them to offer a gift truly valuable for Athens. Poseidon came first: he struck the earth powerfully and created a well with his trident. Immediately, streaming water shot forth, but the water turned out to be salty and not very useful for the population. Next, it was the turn of goddess Athena. Athena stepped forward, struck her spear into the ground and then she knelt and planted an olive branch in it. This way she created an olive tree, as a symbolization of peace and prosperity on earth. Cecrops was very impressed by Athena’s gift. So he chose Athena to lay claim of the city of Athens and the city was named after her. God Poseidon, however, was not pleased with the decision of Cecrops and cursed the city of Athens to never have enough water from then on. After that, it is said that a major problem of water shortage started in Athens, which continues to this day. Poseidon and Medusa Poseidon once raped Medusa,who was a beautiful girl, more beautiful then any girl in Greece. Athena caught him raping her in Athena's temple. When Athena discovered this, she angrily turned her priestess Medusa into a monster for her losing her purity and her two sisters begged Athena to turn her back so were as well (Stheno and Euryale) turned into hideous beasts. Years later, when Perseus slayed Medusa and their son the warrior Chrysaor and the winged horse(Pegasus) were born from her blood. The Cretan Bull When Minos,the King of Crete wanted to prove that he was the rightful king,he told the Cretans that he was able to make a majestic white bull appear from the sea.Minos prayed to the gods to help him perform this feat and he would sacrifice the bull in return.Poseidon heard this prayer and made a pure white bull appear from the waves.After Minos became king,instead of sacrificing the bull like he promised,he tried to sacrifice his other bulls and kept the white bull as a pet.This greatly angered Poseidon,who,with the help of Aphrodite,made Minos's wife, Pasiphae,fall in love with the bull,leading to the birth of the Minotaur.As his seventh labor,Heracles wrestled the Cretan Bull until it tired out,then brought it before his half-brother,King Eurystheus. The Walls Of Troy Poseidon and Apollo once convinced the other gods to overthrow Zeus as he wasn't doing a good job ruling Olympus. They tied him up while he was sleeping and nearly succeeded, but at the last moment, the sea nymph Thetis along with the Hekatonkheire, Briares, freed Zeus. As a punishment, Apollo and Poseidon had to build the famous Walls of Troy for King Laomedon. Marriage to Amphitrite Before Poseidon was married to Amphitrite he was in love with a sea nymph with Thetis. But once he heard that there was a prophecy that Thetis' son would be more powerful than his father he disliked her and fell in love with her sister Amphitrite. But Amphitrite disliked Poseidon because he was moody and a bully. But the crafty god Delphinus persuaded Amphitrite to marry him and she finally did. Poseidon was so grateful to Delphin (Delphinus) that he made him a constellation, Dolphin, in the sky. Wife and Other Consorts #Amphitrite ##Triton ##Benthesikyme ##Rhode ##Kymopoleia #Aphrodite ##Rhodeyomom ##Herophile the Sibyl #Demeter ##Despoina ##Arion, the talking horse #Gaia ##Antaeus ##Charybdis #Hestia (wooed her unsuccessfully) #Aba, nymph ##Ergiscus #Agamede ##Dictys #Aethra ##Theseus #Alistra ##Ogygus #Alcyone ##Aethusa ##Hyrieus ##Hyperenor / Hyperes ##Anthas #Alope ##Hippothoon #Amphimedusa, Danaid #Erythras #Amymone ##Nauplius #Arene ##Idas (possibly) #Arne / Melanippe ##Aeolus ##Boeotus #Arethusa ##Abas #Ascre ##Oeoclus #Astydameia, daughter of Phorbas ##Caucon #Astypalaea ##Ancaeus ##Eurypylus of Kos #Beroe (daughter of Aphrodite) #Boudeia / Bouzyge ##Erginus #Caenis #Calchinia ##Peratus #Canace ##Hopleus ##Nireus ##Aloeus ##Epopeus ##Triopas #Celaeno (Pleiad or daughter of Ergeus) ##Lycus ##Nycteus ##Eurypylus (Eurytus) of Cyrene ##Lycaon #Celaeno, Danaid ##Celaenus #Cerebia ##Dictys ##Polydectes #Ceroessa ##Byzas #Cleodora ##Parnassus #Khione ##Eumolpus #Chrysogeneia ##Chryses, father of Minyas #Corcyra, nymph ##Phaeax #Coronis #Diopatra, nymph of Mount Othrys #Euryale, daughter of Minos ##Orion (possibly) #Eurycyda ##Eleius #Eurynome (Eurymede), daughter of Nisos ##Bellerophon #Euryte / Bathycleia ##Halirrhothius #Halia ##Rhode (possibly) ##six sons #Harpale / Scamandrodice / Calyce ##Cycnus #Helle ##Almops ##Edonus ##Paion #Hermippe ##Minyas (possibly) #Hippothoe #Taphius #Iphimedeia ##The Aloadae #Laodice #Larissa ##Achaeus ##Pelasgus ##Pythius #Leis, daughter of Orus ##Altephus #Libya ##Agenor ##Belus ##Lelex #Lysianassa / Anippe ##Busiris #Mecionice / Europa, daughter of Tityos ##Euphemus, Argonaut #Medusa ##Pegasus ##Chrysaor #Melantheia, daughter of Alpheus ##Irene #Melantho (daughter of Deucalion) ##Delphus #Melia ##Amycus ##Mygdon #Melissa, daughter of Epidamnus ##Dyrrhachius #Mestra #Mideia ##Aspledon #Molione #The Molionides #Mytilene ##Myton #Oenope ##Megareus of Onchestus (possibly) #Olbia, nymph ##Astacus #Ossa ##Sithon (possibly) #Peirene ##Cenchrias ##Leches #Periboea ##Nausithous #Pero, nymph / Kelousa, nymph ##Asopus (possibly) #Pitane, nymph / Lena ##Euadne #Phoenice ##Torone #Pronoe, daughter of Asopus ##Phocus #Rhode ##Ialysus ##Cameirus ##Lindus #Rhodope, daughter of Strymon ##Athos #Salamis, daughter of Asopus ##Cychreus #Satyria, nymph of Taras ##Taras (eponym of the location) #Syme ##Chthonius #Themisto ##Leucon (possibly) #Theophane ##Chrysomallus (Golden Fleece fame) #Thyia #Tyro ##Pelias ##Neleus #Thoosa ##Polyphemus #Daughter of Amphictyon, unnamed ##Cercyon #Nymph of Chios, unnamed ##Chios #Nymph of Chios, unnamed (another one) ##Melas ##Agelus #unknown consorts ##Amphimarus ##Amyrus, eponym of a river in Thessaly ##Astraeus and Alcippe of Mysia ##Calaurus ##Corynetes (possibly) ##Cromus (eponym of Crommyon) ##Geren, eponym of a town or village Geren on Lesbos ##Dicaeus, eponym of Dicaea, a city in Thrace ##Euseirus (father of Cerambus) ##Ialebion (Alebion) and Dercynus (Bergion) of Liguria ##Laestrygon, eponym of the Laestrygonians ##Lamus, king of the Laestrygonians ##Lilaea (possibly) ##Messapus ##Onchestus ##Ourea ##Palaestinus ##Phorbas of Acarnania ##Poltys ##Proteus ##Procrustes ##Sarpedon of Ainos ##Sciron ##Syleus ##Taenarus (possibly) Friends: Apollo and Delphinus Enemies: Athena and The Trojans Importance Poseidon is the most frequently mentioned god in Ancient Greece, even more than Zeus. He is said to be the Protector of the Greek Cities, especially those who possessed naval power. Poseidon is also said to cause mental illnesses like the god, Dionysus. The ancient Greeks respect and also fear his power as Poseidon could be vengeful and cause all sorts of destruction. Temples *Because Poseidon's temple's have always been built near the sea or ocean they have been weathered away and are not in good shape today. The best temple that is still mostly intact is in Cape Sounion that has a view of the Aegean Sea. Trivia *Although Poseidon is the Lord of the Oceans, his name means the Lord of the Earth. *Horses, Bulls, Rams and all marine life are Poseidon's sacred animals. Ash trees and White Pine trees are his sacred trees. *Poseidon once convinced the other gods to overthrow Zeus and almost succeeded because the hecatonchire Briareus saved him. Powers and abilities As the god of the sea, Poseidon has absolute power and authority over the sea and the creatures that live in it. Poseidon is considered the god of earthquakes because in myths, whenever he got mad, he struck the earth with his trident, which shook the earth. Because he is a son of the titan Kronos, Poseidon is an incredibly powerful god and rivals that of Zeus. Z2.3Poseidon.jpg|Poseidon & AmphitriteAP.01 Z2.7Poseidon.jpg|Poseidon & Amphitrite Z2.5Poseidon.jpg K2_8Poseidon.jpg|Poseidon & Amymone K2_4Poseidon.jpg|Poseidon Riding a Hippokampos Poseidon.gif|Poseidon Z2 -10Poseidon.jpg Navigation Category:Gods Category:Immortals Category:Olympians Category:Males Category:Children of Cronus Category:Sea Gods Category:Father Category:Water Gods Category:Husbands Category:Nature Gods Category:Children of Rhea Category:Kings Category:Deities Category:Deity Category:Children of Kronos